Dear Hope for Widows Community,
Today, August 30, 2017, is National Grief Awareness Day. One might say, Why is there a need for such a day? That would be a great question. In 2013, Angie Cartwright, founded National Grief Awareness Day, dedicated to a day of grief awareness. Any person who has had a loved one die often feels alone in their grief, like nobody understands what they’re going through. Experiencing a death can be overwhelming for anyone, no matter what age they are or beliefs they have. People experiencing grief need support. And the first step in that support is for people to become more aware of what grief-stricken people are going through. We want to bring the myths, clichés, and stigma out of the dark and into the light. National Grief Awareness Day is designed to help us all become more aware of the needs of grieving people and of the comfort they can obtain through the support of others. It’s an opportunity for all of us to raise awareness of the painful impact that the death of a loved one has in the life of a human being. An opportunity for all of us to recognize and support the millions of people grieving across the nation — the thousands grieving right in our own communities, and the grieving individuals we know and see in our daily lives. After a tragic loss, the griever is often lost, alone and misunderstood. National Grief Awareness Day is an opportunity to make sure that all who are grieving receive the support they need. You can support Grief Awareness by signing the petition at https://www.change.org/p/declare-august-30th-national-grief-awareness-day. Hope for Widows Foundation is grateful for you doing this.
Now that you have more clarity on grief and are AWARE of its existence. You may ask yourself hmmm What do I do with this knowledge? Don’t fret, we have your answer. Your awareness must be shared because awareness suffocates in the heart of the holder. It must be released. Simply put, it has to be passed on to be useful. But how do I do that? you may wonder. We’re going to utilize a brief pedagogical method utilizing a Call and Response technique. Are you ready? Let’s go…
As you’re reading this letter, you’re going to stop and say the Call and Response ALOUD and then continue reading. It will help if you say it 3 times so that you remember.
First, now say it with me: GRIEVERS CANNOT BE FIXED THEY CAN ONLY BE HEALED, (say 3 times). Yes, Hope for Widows Community this is #truth. Just think of a child taking her broken doll to her mother to be fixed, perhaps the arm came off. Mom can pop the arm right back on, good as new, FIXED. But grievers, humans, don’t work that way. Brokenness requires HEALING and that takes time, the time-frames are individualized to the person experiencing the grief.
Your next Call and Response is…say it with me now 3x: GRIEVERS NEED A SAFE SPACE TO PLACE THEIR GRIEF. Oftentimes grievers are left with polarizing emotions without an outlet. This may be due to them being in environments where people are uncomfortable with death or just don’t know what to do or say to someone with loss. Please understand that there is nothing you really can say because everything hurts at the point of impact. Just be loving…be kind…be there and listen.
Our final Call and Response is 1…2…3…Lets say it together 3x: GRIEVERS NEED TO BE VALIDATED IN THEIR GRIEF. Huh??? You may say. Simply put, recognizing or affirming that the grievers feelings are worthwhile. Acknowledge the grief, say something like, I’m sorry for your pain, call the griever after the funeral. If you say you’re going to be there ACTUALLY be there. Go visit them, offer to run errands or cook dinner, watch the kids without them having to ask. Be Loving…
So there, Hope for Widows Community, you have a Mini Grief Intervention WRAPPED in a Grief Awareness letter. You weren’t expecting that were you? But guess what else? You read the letter, You completed your Call and Response, So your NEXT response is to SHARE…SHARE…SHARE the information you’ve learned AND this post, so that the masses will be made AWARE and equipped because grievers need us to intercede on their behalf…Thank You.
In Hope,
Hope for Widows Foundation
About Maureen Bobo
Maureen Bobo is a Christ follower, Love Advocate, Social Worker, and Mompreneur. Her ministries include grief, singles, and health and wellness. Maureen is a single parent of two daughters ages fourteen and six. She became a single parent on April 7, 2010, when her husband of thirteen years, Martin Quinn Bobo, passed away of chronic heart disease at the age of forty-five. The children at that time were ages eight years and two months old.
The grief from that tragedy led Maureen to develop The Beautiful Stones Ministries, in which the goal is to provide love and support to the grieving heart through grief support groups and social services. Maureen is a co-author of ‘The Unwelcome Committee’; the story of three young widows with children and their navigation through the processes of grief. Maureen is also involved in singles ministry development at her church. She believes that singles need to be nurtured and cultivated in the season that they are in so they can thrive in God’s purposes for their lives. Maureen has completed four half marathons and has a goal to complete a half marathon in every state. She has a message for people: “Be your own superhero, and make your own self proud through intentional self-care.” and that you CAN go from “Tragedy to Triumph.” Although based in Ohio, Maureen plans to encourage people worldwide to rock their inner athlete to the core and become unleashed! Through her life story, Maureen wants to encourage and inspire people to not only dream but dream big, by putting their faith in flight and loving themselves and others.